The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Environment centre coming up at Lumbini Park

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Wednesday, Mar 11, 2009
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Environment centre coming up at Lumbini Park

HYDERABAD: The task of setting up the Environment Science Museum proposed by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority is likely to be given to the Ahmedabad-based Centre for Environment Education (CEE).

The museum, expected to cost Rs.2.50 crore, will focus on water bodies and Hussainsagar lake in particular and is to come up on the lines of Lake Biwa Museum of Central Japan, which traces the history of the lake considered one of the world’s ancient and also the largest freshwater lake there.

Lake deterioration

Similarly, the museum here to be spread over 14,000 sft in three floors will seek to showcase the Hussainsagar lake with sections on associated history, deterioration over the decades, effects of pollution and efforts to restore the water body’s past glory.

Apart from other water bodies in and around the city, the proposed museum will also deal with subjects such as water contamination and its effects on health. Following a call from the HMDA seeking national and international firms for setting up the museum, several presentations were made and the Centre for Environment Education is said to have emerged as a forerunner.

The CEE, which is supported by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, has already done similar projects at different places including Kanha Reserve and Bhoj Wetland.

According to the HMDA officials, the centre has the requisite expertise and experience and preliminary designs have already been provided. “They will take about nine months to a year for the museum,” he said.

The structure chosen for the project abuts Hussain Sagar lake and is part of Lumbini Park.

The HMDA has been in the process of collecting inputs from different sources including experts on environment and the voluntary groups involved in environmental issues so that appropriate feedback could go into shaping the museum.

“The feedback we collate will be provided to the developer and the initiative is aimed at offering environment education and how it is imperative that water bodies too need to be conserved,” says Vivek Deshmukh, HMDA Chief Engineer.

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Andhra Pradesh